Lancets of this type are known from e.g. EP-A-589186 and similar designs have been in practical use for a long time. The head portion, in which the pointed end section of the lancet needle protruding from the base portion is embedded, ensures that the pointed end section of the needle is kept in a sterile environment until the lancet is used. The previous practice when handling such lancets was to detach the head portion from the base portion prior to using the lancet by rotating the head portion by a certain amount relative to the base portion so that a breaking zone between these parts will rupture. Thereafter, a manual pulling force is exerted on the head portion while keeping more or less axial alignment of the lancet needle to the base portion in order to overcome a frictional force between the pointed end section of the needle and the head portion so that the head portion can be pulled-off the end section of the needle. However, it has been found in practice that the pointed end section of the lancet needle is frequently so tightly seated in the head portion that the entire lancet needle is sometimes withdrawn from the base portion in the course of the above described operation, or that the pulling forces that have to be applied are so large that if they are not effective exactly in the axial or longitudinal direction of the lancet needle the protruding end section of the needle might bend. Lancets of the present type are often used in conjunction with actuating means which enable a rapid mechanical movement of the pointed end section of the needle into a person's skin for the purposes of blood extraction. It has been found that when detaching the head portion, the base portion of the lancet held by clamping forces in the actuating means is frequently withdrawn therefrom rendering the lancet unusable.